CELEBRATING THOSE WE LOVE

One of life’s most beautiful celebrations of life is that of the people who are dear to us. Just days ago we celebrated the birthday of one of my best friends… it got me thinking how important and fulfilling it is for us to always show those we love how much we love them and not wasting any chance to prove it as long as we can because what’s true is that we never know how much more time we’ve got left with them. Lately, three of my good friends have experienced tough losses of loved ones in this holiday and but despite the pain and hurt, they’ve managed to reflect on the lives of their beloved and been able to smile… not because of the loss but because they could look back and be proud of the legacies that those people lived and most of all, that they knew they’d showed all the love that they could to those people while they still lived. I also believe love is an art… and for it to be truly expressed, it requires honesty, wholeheartedness, enthusiasm, sacrifice and all the numerous associated virtues. Celebrating those people around us, those who play a role in our lives, those who make us laugh, or add extra effect to our work, or even those we may not know much but think a loving gesture from us would mean the world to them… it’s one of the best and yet nearest sources of blessings and favor we could possibly think of. Even if you don’t admit it, you know you LOVE being celebrated by the people around you, we all do. But I’ll tell you that showing those gestures of love and appreciation is always more fulfilling because then you’ve made use of what you have inside you… what the Maslow’s hierarchy calls ‘self actualization’. Bottom line is, what keeps society firm is oneness and among the things that instill that oneness in it is celebrating those we love and the people around us in their different capacities and not taking it for granted because our social, emotional and even economic strength depends on how we’re able to rely on each other and not continue falling. I believe as small as the issue may sound, it’s also important for developing the Rwandan society at large because who would love to live in a developed place materially, yet socially and emotionally needy? Just like having too much wealth without a family to share it with or friends because you got too busy to make any on your way up the ladder. I think it’s meaningless. Yes, we need hard work and food to eat at the end of the day and of course success but let’s not forget to stop once in a while to recognize everyone who takes part directly, or indirectly in our happiness… those we don’t know inclusive. Hozatash@yahoo.com